Internal calls consume free lines from provider

[Jan Gils]

We've been running 3CX for 2 years now, but we noticed that when 2 extensions call each other (eg 002 calls 004), both our lines are occupied from the provider. This means and external call can't get in, an another desk employee cannot make external calls. When the call between the 2 extensions ends, we have 2 lines again and can call 2 clients at the same time.

How do I avoid this behaviour so that internal calls don't influence our SIP lines?

We have a PRO licence and our SIP provides us with 2 lines.

 

[YiannisH_3CX]

A call between 2 extensions is considered as 1 simultaneous call from the PBX and takes away one of your simultaneous calls. The only way I can think of that would cause the behavior you are describing is if your 2 extensions call each other on their external DID which would cause the call to go to the provider and come back to the PBX consuming 2 simultaneous calls.

 

[leejor]

If people are indeed dialing the full PSTN DID number, rather than the extension number, you could do a couple of things (besides instructing people not to do this)...

Set the full DID number, as the SIP ID, against each extension (include any prefix normally required for an outside call), that should cause the call to ring directly on the extension rather than using the outbound rules. You could also block the DID numbers in the outbound rules, forcing users to dial the extension number, for any sets you had not added the SIP ID.